Latch.



4 ATENTED MAR. a, 1903. 'R. A. STEARMAN.

- LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1902.

UNITED STATES PATENT 7 OFFICE.

' ROBERT A. STEARMAN, 0 JET, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

LATCH SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 721,921, dated March 3, 1903.

Application filed May 10, 1902. Serial No. 106,782. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. STEARMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jet, in the county of Woods and Territory of Oklahoma, have invented a new and useful Window-Screen Latch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved latch for window-screens or a storm-sash fastener, and has for its object to provide a cheap,'simple, and durable automatic locking device for securely holding a screen or storm-sash in its closed position.

With these objects in view my invention comprises a suitable casing into which is pivotally held a reversible spring-actuated latch that is adapted for engagementwith the plate carried by the screen frame or storm-sash and'by which the screen is locked in position, the said casing being positioned upon the side of the window-frame and out of alinement with the sash, so that no alteration of the window-frame or interference with the working of the window-sash is necessitated by the use of my improvement.

With these objects in view my invention also comprises certain details of construction and novelties of combination and arrangement of parts, as will be fully set forth in the following specification and pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my improvement as in use. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same, takenabout on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. Sis a horizontal section taken about on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the casing, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the latch. 1

In carrying out my invention I employ a casing A, consisting of the base-plate A and the hood or cap A the opposite sides of which are provided with slots A and the upper end of the said casing is open, as shown at A The lower end of the casing is closed, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. Pivotally held within the casing is a latch B, having a locking-nose B projecting laterally therefrom and extending through one of the slots A in the casing. A thumb-piece B is formed integral with the latch and is preferably arranged about at right angles to the 1ockingnose B, the said thumb-piece projecting up through the opening A, formed at the upper end of the casing. A spring C is securely held in the lower end of the casing at one end and has its opposite end held in a slot or recess B formed in the latch, the said recess being arranged, upon the opposite side of the latch to which the nose is formed, so that when the latch is thrown over in the direction indicated by the arrow 1 in Fig. 2 the spring will be thrown in the direction indicated by the arrow 2, and immediately upon releaseof the latch the spring will forcibly throw it down into position to be engaged by the locking-plate D, carried by the frame of the window-screen or storm-sash E. The frame back of the plate D is preferably recessed, as shown at D, providing a pocket for the locking-nose of the latch B, and the plate D is also provided with an opening through which the nose of the latch passes, the edge of the plate at the lower end of the slot extending up a short distance above the lower edge of the pocket, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

In practice the base-plate of the casing is securely secured to the side of the windowframe at the outer edge thereof, so that the locking-nose of the latch will be arranged in alinement with the opening of the plate I), carried by the screen, and as the screen is swung inwardly the edge of the plate will strike the beveled face b of the nose B',which forces the said nose upwardly until the edge of the plate passes the extreme lower edge of the nose, when the spring will force the nose downwardly and back of the plate, and thereby locking the screen in its closed position.

It will thus be seen that my'device is exceedingly simple in construction and maybe readily applied to a window-screen, storm sash or door, it of course being understood that it is only necessary to pull upon the upper edge of the thumb-piece to' release the latch. It will be further understood that by providing the casing of my latch with slots arranged upon the opposite sides thereof my device may be readily applied to either side of the window-frame, it being only necessary to reverse the latch and spring so that the Ice nose of the latch will project from either slot,

as may be desired, and thus adapting thelatch to windows that may he opened from either the right or left hand side of the frame.

Having thus fully described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-- 1. In a window-screen fastener, the combination of a base-plate having. a casing formed thereon, Whose opposite sides are provided with slots and whose upper end is open, of a spring-actuated latch or dog pivotally held within the casing and having'a locking'nose projecting therefrom, anda thumb-piece projectingat substantially a right angle to the locking member, and a plate carried by the screen and arranged in engagement with the latch, substantially as shown and described.

2. Ina window-screen fastener, the combinationof a base-plate having a cap or casing arranged thereon, a latch pivotaliy held in the said casing and having a slot arranged in the sides thereof, a locking-nose projecting from the said latch and a thumb-piece arranged at substantially a right angle to the said nose, a spring held within the casing at one end and having its opposite end engaging the said slot in the latch, and a plate arranged upon the screen and adapted for engagement by the said locking-nose of the latch, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a window-screen fastener, the combination with a base-plate, having a casing formed thereon, the sides of which are provided with slots and having an end open, a reversible latch within the casing, having a locking-nose formed thereon, said nose being adapted to project through either of the slots, an integral thumb-piece'projecting from the open end, a spring held in the said casing,

and adapted for engagement with the latch, 40

and a-slotted plate carried by the sash and adapted to be engaged by the locking-nose.

ROBERT A. STEARMAN. Witnesses:

N. L. DECK, LILLIE G. HYNDs. 

